Folding table and seat assembly



June 3, 1958 C. SHORE FOLDING TABLE AND SEAT ASSEMBLY Filed June 15, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I I T n"... n v

IN VENTOR.

CHARLES SHOR 4770/9/VEVX June 3,1958 c. SHORE 2,837,141

FOLDING TABLE AND SEAT ASSEMBLY Filed Jfine 1a, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

CHARLES SHORE WWW ATTURA/[YX June 3, 1958 I c. SHORE 2,837,141

FOLDING TABLE AND SEAT ASSEMBLY Filed June 15, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E7 INVENTOR.

CHARLES SHORE BY 1 I Chem M W United States Patent 9 FOLDING TABLE AND SEAT ASSEMBLY Charles Shore, Cheltenham, Pa. Application June 13, 1957, Serial No. 665,551

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-124) This invention, relates. to. a. table: and; seat assembly the primary object of which is. to provide. an assembly of the picnic tablev and bench .typewhiclris. light in weight, unitary and. capable of being folded: and unfolded. with ease of manipulation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding table and seat assembly of the character described in which the supporting legs, between and on which the seats are hinged, are divergent when fully opened to restrain the table assembly from toppling when a load is applied to the seats.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding table and seat assembly in which the legs when folded overlap and extend in planes substantially parallel to the table top and the size and manner in which the seats are pivotally secured to the legs is such that the seats when folded lie substantially in the planes of the legs thereby resulting in an assembly which is compact when it is folded and ready to be carried.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a folding table and seat assembly with a positive smoothly operative means to selectively retain the seats in the folded position within the plane of the legs to which it is attached and in an unfolded position perpendicular to the plane of the legs and parallel to that of the table top.

These and other objects will become more apparent as the following description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig- Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; I

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through the seat, one side of the table top and leg;

Figure 6 is an elevational view looking from the line 6-6 on Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig The unit includes a substantially rectangular table top 12 which may be fibrous board, aluminum or similar material and which is preferably retained in a frame having a peripheral skirt 14 depending therefrom. The leg units 16 and 18 are preferably tubular U-shaped units "ice each having a ground engaging web portion 20 which is practically coextensive with the length of the table topv unit. Each leg unit 16 also includes. leg portions 22 and 24 which are flattened at their ends and there hinged. by suitable rivet or other means 26 and 28 to the skirt 14 inwardly thereof and adjacent each corner of the. table top.

A conventional break-type brace 30 is terminally pivoted to each of the, leg portions 22, 24 and to, the skirt: 14 and the length of the brace is. such. that when it is in the fully open and locked position, the leg, units .16. and. 18 are divergent to restrain the table. against rocking, when a load is applied to the seats. It. will here be understood that the leg portions 22 and. 24 may be separate. instead of integrally connected as. shown.

Each seat member 32 comprises a substantially rectangular flat member 34 of fibrousv material, aluminum or like materials which is retained in. a frame including a. depending peripheral skirt 36. The seat member is narrower than the table top and slightly less. in length.. I-n-. termediate the ends of each pair of leg portions 22 and 4 24 there is provided headed bolts or rivets 38 which engage the skirt 36 of the seat member adjacent its inner corners 40. The width of each seat member and the location of the pivot pins 38 relative to the length of the leg portions 22 and 24 are such that the seat member when folded, as shown in Figure 6, is disposed substantially in the plane of the leg portions 22 and 24 and also clears the table top.

A means is provided to guidingly and selectively retain each seat member in the folded position as aforementioned and in the unfolded or support position wherein the seat member extends generally perpendicular to the plane of the leg portions 22 and 24 and generally parallel to the table top 12. This means includes a guide member, preferably a fiat tube 42, which extends transversely of the seat member. The ends of the guide member are inturned and secured by any suitable means as at 44 to the skirt 36 of the seat member. Thus the guide member has a portion which is coextensive with the width of the seat member and is spaced from the underside of the flat portion 34 of the seat member, the guide member being confined within the bounds of the skirt 36.

Hinged by any suitable means as at 46 to each pair I of leg portions 22 and 24 beneath each seat member 32 are the ends of a generally U-shaped brace rod 48, the same including a web portion 50 which extends lengthwise of the seat member between the guide member 42 and the underside of the flat member 34 of the seat, as clearly shown in Figures 5-8. Thus when the seat member is pulled up tothe folded position, the Web portion '50 of the brace rod occupies one position as shown in Figure 6 and releasably retains the seat member in said folded position. When the seat member is pulled down to the seating position, the web portion bears against the outer longitudinal portion of the seat skirt 36 where it meets the flat member 34, as shown in Figure 3, thereby acting to support a load on the seat member.

It will be seen that adjacent their free or pivoted ends, the leg portions of the brace rod'48 are bent as at 52 at an obtuse angle. The reason for the bend is to allow the web portion 50 of the brace rod 48 to be confined within the seat skirt 36 when the seat is folded and thereby is disposed within the plane of the leg portions 22 and 24, otherwise the outermost longitudinal portion of the seat skirt 36 would interfere with the leg portions of the wire brace.

Minor variations may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

7 3 I claim:

1. A folding table and seat assembly comprising a substantially rectangular table top and a peripheral skirt depending therefrom, two pairs of substantially U-shaped Iegs'feachpivoted at'its'endsto said skirt adjacent its corners, releasable brace means to retain said legs in erect divergent positions, two substantially rectangular seatseach including a peripheral skirt depending therefrom, means hingedly securing said skirt to each seat adjacent a pair of its corners to and between each U- shaped leg, and means guidingly and selectively retaining each seat in a folded position generally in the plane of the U-shaped leg to which it is hinged and in an unfolded position generally parallel to the table top, said last-named means including a guide bar secured at its ends to each seat skirt and offset from said seat and a generallyYU-shaped brace rod pivoted at its ends to each U-shaped'leg beneath said seat, said brace rod having a web portion extending between said guide bar and said seat, the ends of said brace rod adjacent its pivots beingxbent at an obtuse angle to permit the seat when foldedfto be positioned in the plane of the U-shaped leg.

ZQA folding table and seat assembly comprising a substantiallyrectangular table top, two pairs of legs pivotedlat one of their' ends to said table top adjacent its corners, releasable brace means to retain said legs in erect divergent positions, at least one substantially rectangular seat hinged at a pair of its corners to and between one of said pairs of legs, a guide bar secured at its ends to and across said seat and offset therefrom, and

a generally U-shaped brace rod having a web and legs pivoted at their ends to said one pair of legs beneath said seat, said web extending between said guide bar and seat, the legs of said brace rod having an obtuse angle, bend whereby the seat may be guidingly folded from a support position substantially parallel to said table top to a folded position substantially in the plane of said one pair of legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 624,115 Steele May 2, 1899 970,777 Ackerman Sept. 20, 1910 1,355,005 Schechter Oct. 5, 1920 2,249,845 Mitchell .July 22, 1941 2,413,168 Cafirey Dec. 24, 1946 2,647,562 Holfar Aug. 4, 1953 2,666,681 Adler Jan. 19,- 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 2,837,141 June 3, 1958 Charles Shore It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 9, for "to each" read =-of each- Signed and sealed this 7th day of October 1958..

Attest:

KARL H.o AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Oificer Commissioner of Patents 

